The 2011 Free Agency Thread

[ziggy]

Now that we are on the verge of having some real player movement to talk about, Which free agents should the Bobcats have their eyes on prior to the season starting up next month?


And oh yeah here or more tears of joy for the upcoming season :cool:

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f94/Poooseur/2f588e3a97b4fb65f691db12d0e915ae.gif

[ohara831]

FA and cams start on 12/9/11. Not much time. Hope the Bobcats were doing some homework.

[CrazyCarl139]

It will be interesting to see what happens to the players that went overseas. Most of those contracts had clauses that will allow the players to return to the NBA no problem. However, I don't think that every player had that in their overseas contracts.....

[Sik Infant]

I really want us to re-sign Kwame & sign Josh McRoberts, McRoberts would be great for us though we have depth at the four already.

If Marvin Williams is amnestised I'd love for us to make a run at him.

[Twan's Kin]

Would center Aaron Gray of New Orleans be worth a look? Or is he trash?

[Sik Infant]

Would center Aaron Gray of New Orleans be worth a look? Or is he trash?


Gray would be worth a look as he is decent & will be cheap, good rotation player though as a starter it would be a bit of a stretch.

He's young though & could be better than currently advertised.

[ammofan]

Im super interested in seeing who will be cut due to the amnesty clause. Obviously I'd like to see us resign Kwame, and I think we will, but a guy like Aaron Gray would be a good rotational young player.

[teej]

Here's what we've got so far:

Kemba/DJ
Hendo/MC33
Maggs/Dante
Ty/DJ2/Eddie
Diaw/Biyombo

Diop is gone, I'm assuming. That leaves a need for a third guard, some sort of backup wing, and a bigman in the worst way.

Looking at who's available, for point guard I'd target either Anthony Carter or Earl Watson as a mentor for DJ and Kemba. At wing, I'd target Arron Afflalo, J-Rich, Josh Howard, or Chris Douglas-Roberts. And at center, I'd go for Kwame, obviously, and then Aaron Gray or Jeff Foster.

But if Cho does something different, I won't necessarily be upset.

[ND22]

But if Cho does something different, I won't necessarily be upset.

Even if he signed Eddy Curry? :P

I threw this name out in another thread, but we could give Greg Oden a shot, but only if he's truly healthy. I like the idea of Aaron Grey as Kwame's backup as well.

Bringing back J-Rich would be wonderful.

A veteran PG to be the 3rd PG/mentor is also a great idea. I lean towards Earl Watson, wasn't he at OKC when Cho was there?

[Plowright]

I also don't know if DJ is going to stick around now Kemba is here. Ballwhore has already said he expects DJ to go pretty soon and he wants out. So i would expect we get some of those needs back in that trade, that or some decent draft picks

[spectre]

Even if he signed Eddy Curry? :P

Would that really be a bad idea at the vet min?

Low risk, cheap...he'd be this season's Kwame.

[Plowright]

If he is in a condition where he can help a team, he will go to the heat

[Keetch]

Working a deal for DJ to NO, Dallas or Houston would be good for him. Maybe NO would throw in a draft pick, doubt it though.

Whatever we do, just please don't get leveraged into any more poor contracts for marginal players who won't earn it or (worse yet) greedy players who'll sleep thru team meetings.

And please no gun-toting criminals or predators. Really don't care for those.

[Wolfpackbobcat]

What about Nene? A possibility if we dont want Kwame?

[GoBobs]

The teams that spend early in free agency overpay. The teams that spend late can get some steals and dictate short term contracts with lots of flexibility. I expect us to spend our money late.

More then a big free agent signing I want to see a trade that frees up some cap space for next summer. Something like Diaw and Magettee to the suns for V.C. would be perfect. A deal that sent DJ to the Jazz for a pick and Raja Bell would make sense too. Basically if we get rid of Magettee and then amnesty Diop we should have enough cap space to make a run at Howard and Paul while keeping enough young talent to fill in around them.

[docend24]

What about Nene? A possibility if we dont want Kwame?

Nuggets need to spend. They are losing Chandler, Martin, Smith and are far below the needed 85% (without draft picks and RFAs they are even below 30M on salaries). Nene is obvious target for them, which makes him a bad choice of target to compete for as whoever gets him will most likely overpay at least a bit. And I would guess he would be higher on pecking order and probably under contract sooner than Kwame unless Kwame would agree to terms with Cho and Co. very quickly and doesn't really hit the market.

[Twan's Kin]

Nene is looking for a big payday, and we just aren't willing to spend the big bucks for him.

[Sik Infant]

Nene is not needed for us imo.

He would take minutes away from Biyombo & Tyrus & would also take away a lot of our flexibility going forward.

[spectre]

We really need to sign this guy (http://www.niubball.com/2011/11/yi-jianlian-to-invoke-his-own-clause-and-head-back-to-the-nba/). I'd even offer him a pretty decent contract as there's no denying it'd add to our "popularity" over in China. With Yao now kaput Yi Jianlian is really the only guy they have which they consider a star in the NBA.

Not to mention all the extra streams he'd bring.

[SWedd523]

The Chinese piss me off. The "Yi Jinlian Clause"? Really?



None of you Americans can go back home, but all the chinamen can

[adam187]

alexis ajinca

[dav7z]

I have no instrest at all in this years free agent class. Except K Brown and D Cunningham. And the only way we sign them is to a contract thet is frount loaded big time.

Brown four years something like 5mil , 1 team option 1 ,1
Cunningham = 3 , 1 , Team option 1, 1, four years
That gets us up to the 85% this year and very contract frindly the next three years.

[KembaSlice]

Would Josh McRoberts really be worth bringing in?

David West is a guy I'd like to sign.

[Dcarnys]

Only signing I would make is Kwame and Dante. Maybe look for another center if Kwame goes somewhere else.

[spectre]

I'm deeply disappointed my Yi! idea isn't getting any love. It must be that fans outside "the circle" who have to deal with those crappy feeds haven't weighed in yet.

[docend24]

I'm deeply disappointed my Yi! idea isn't getting any love. It must be that fans outside "the circle" who have to deal with those crappy feeds haven't weighed in yet.

What about Sun Yue, can he get out too? Where is he playing anyway. I always thought about him as last resort type of 3rd string point guard (or combo guard) with special ability "provides streams" written on his forehead. I admitt I've just checked whether Rich Cho is Chinese or not.

I kind of think Yi would meant a commitment to serious contract and at position we don't really need to populate even more. And I'm not much thrilled to see him play for us anyway.

[spectre]

What about Sun Yue, can he get out too? Where is he playing anyway. I always thought about him as last resort type of 3rd string point guard (or combo guard) with special ability "provides streams" written on his forehead. I admitt I've just checked whether Rich Cho is Chinese or not.

I kind of think Yi would meant a commitment to serious contract and at position we don't really need to populate even more. And I'm not much thrilled to see him play for us anyway.

Well I am semi-joking as he probably would want a decent contract. Thing is tho he would make the franchise money just because China seems pretty rabid in following their guys.

Way I look at it...our FO has pissed money away on worthless players, the least they could do is piss some away that would actually benefit some of us.

Plus we aren't that fixed at the 3. Bad Porn could easily go down again and we'd be left starting Dante or trying to run Boris at SF while he's at a PF/C weight. I think Tyrus at the 3 would be a nightmare.

Basketball wise I don't really want him either.

[docend24]

Well, I still count him as a four with his height. He is taller than Tyrus, right?

As for SF, I think we will see Henderson playing some minutes there when we would be using two PG backcourt. Even Carroll played some SF before and was being listed SG/SF or just SF for some time before. We have thin guard rotation right now anyway and will most probably sign somebody so hard to tell how those minutes will get distributed. I agree we are kind of thin at SF that's why I like we have Maggette there as uneffective but easy to justify chioce for starting minutes. People would question Bobcats if there would be only Cunningham, some Diaw and some SGs at SF

[Sik Infant]

Would Josh McRoberts really be worth bringing in?

David West is a guy I'd like to sign.

In my opinion David West is too old & coming off an injury, he's also going to want a large salary & a long term deal.

If we signed him for 9m per then between him & Tyrus they will be owed 17m & as mentioned both are coming off of injuries.

I think McRoberts would be a great signing for us, he's a legit 6-10 240 & has a versatile offensive game, he can backup both the four & five & is young,would be cheap & has a lot of potential in my opinion.

[Sik Infant]

I also should say that West would ruin our rebuilding by helping us to win too many games.

[mrtarheel]

Myself I just seen where the Jazz maybe shopping Jefferson. He is owed 14 mil for the next two years but with Biyombo not being a low post threat with Big Al all he has to do is rebound. He is still young and he still has talent. He will take alot of pressure off of the back court.

[davcbow]

I think we should rebuild sort of like OKC did.. Do it through the draft and leave these "injury prone free agent players alone" and definitely the "big contract players alone"... we need to keep under the cap and rebuild all the key players and then when we are ready to make a run at the play offs use that room under the cap to get the final piece to the puzzle that will give us a great run at a championship... If we get in too big a hurry we will ruin everything once again... :)

[murphman]

I think we should rebuild sort of like OKC did.. Do it through the draft and leave these "injury prone free agent players alone" and definitely the "big contract players alone"... we need to keep under the cap and rebuild all the key players and then when we are ready to make a run at the play offs use that room under the cap to get the final piece to the puzzle that will give us a great run at a championship... If we get in too big a hurry we will ruin everything once again... :)

Could not have said it better myself. This years FA class is weak and many will get overpaid. Next years free agent class and draft class looks LOADED. Save the cap space, big contracts & roster spots for next year. Let the rookies get seasoned this year. Of couse, bringing back Kwame at a reasonable multi year deal that will not eat up a lot of future cap space should be one of the few priorities right now.

[Toocool]

Why settle for less this year when you have a chance at Paul next season!

[Talent]

I don't want CP3. I just have a bad feeling about him being here. I would rather the team builds up around drafted talent. I know this will take years, but being stuck in mid-level team hell sucks worse than at least having a chance at a star. I just think CP3 would get injured again here. You have a big draft next year and a huge FA market maybe a combo of both could work.

[WFU4LIFE]

I don't want CP3. I just have a bad feeling about him being here. I would rather the team builds up around drafted talent. I know this will take years, but being stuck in mid-level team hell sucks worse than at least having a chance at a star. I just think CP3 would get injured again here. You have a big draft next year and a huge FA market maybe a combo of both could work.
If CP3 will come here, you better damn well believe we will take him. Why would you not want to have the best PG in the league? The injury thing doesn't bother me much. he's still young, and he's from this area so maybe fan support would finally start to pick up. I see no negatives in getting CP3.

[KembaSlice]

I have a feeling Miami is going to go after Kwame.

[anton273]

The only thing i think we should get from free agency is a combo guard who can shoot the 3....thats only if we trade DJ... preferably someone who is above 6'3!!

[ohara831]

I have a feeling Miami is going to go after Kwame.

I read somewhere that they were hoping to make a run at him. But I think we can offer more money to him, so I hope he would consider staying. After all, MJ gave him his 2nd shot. But I know the allure of playing with the James Gang and making a run at a ring will certainly be tempting. Cannot blame him if he signs with Miami.

[adam187]

I read somewhere that they were hoping to make a run at him. But I think we can offer more money to him, so I hope he would consider staying. After all, MJ gave him his 2nd shot. But I know the allure of playing with the James Gang and making a run at a ring will certainly be tempting. Cannot blame him if he signs with Miami.

do players make extra money in the playoffs? i would think they do, but i'm not sure. could work to our disadvantage.

[dav7z]

do players make extra money in the playoffs? i would think they do, but i'm not sure. could work to our disadvantage.


Called play off pool money . I think it still works this way old artical.
http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/14949/let-them-take-home-cake

[spectre]

Grizzlies prepare offer sheet for Bobcats' forward Cunningham (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/dec/20/loss-of-arthur-a-blow-to-griz/)


Magnetic resonance imaging performed Monday on Arthur confirmed that he has a torn right Achilles and will miss the entire 2011-12 season. Memphis, shorthanded up front before Arthur’s injury, is in the market for two frontcourt players. Cunningham is viewed as a close replacement for Arthur, and the Griz also have 76ers versatile big man Marresse Speights on their radar, according to sources with knowledge of the Grizzlies’ thinking.
Cunningham, 24, is a 6-8 forward who is not as potent offensively as Arthur, but is considered versatile enough overall to compensate. Cunningham was selected 33rd overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2009 NBA draft. Charlotte would have three days to match if Memphis offers Cunningham a contract.


Be interesting to see what they offer. I haven't looked, but I've seen it said that they are less than 500k from the LT limit...and the Griz isn't a team I'd expect to bust that line.